Marty Robbins - Private Wilson White lyrics

Private Wilson White
America is proud tonight
Proud to claim you for their hero
Private White

On a battlefield one day in
A land so far away
Mid the rattle of machine guns in
The dawn's first golden light
Twenty men lay close to death
Nineteen of them held their breath
While one volunteered to save them
Volunteered to give his life

Private Wilson White
America is proud tonight
Proud to claim you for their hero
Private White

Nineteen lives he meant to save
Not one backward glance he gave
As he yelled, for God and country
Through an open field he ran
But the enemy had seen and
They understood his scheme
And the fire from their machine guns
Knocked the rifle from his hands

Private Wilson White
America is proud tonight
Proud to claim you for their hero
Private White

Seven bullets found their mark
Seven bullets near the heart
And the force of seven bullets knocked
The soldier to the ground
But his promise he must keep
And he staggered to his feet
Ran toward the four machine guns
That pinned the soldiers down

Private Wilson White
America is proud tonight
Proud to claim you for their hero
Private White bullets flyin' everywhere
Smoke and gunfire filled the air
Onward ran the wounded soldier to
Keep the vow he made
Nearly dead, but deep within
Was the strength to pull the pin
As he yelled, I died for freedom
He threw the hand grenade

Private Wilson White
America is proud tonight
Proud to claim you for their hero
Private White